And at Segedunum Roman Fort, Wallsend, visitors were taken back almost 2,000 years, as the legendary Roman Emperor Hadrian went on display.

The marble bust, dating from AD117 to 118, shows Hadrian in his impressive uniform. It was found in the eighteenth century at Villa Adriana, Hadrian’s magnificent country residence, near Tivoli, outside Rome.

The touring exhibition from the British Museum will be at the museum until October. Geoff Woodward, manager of North Tyneside museums said: “We welcomed over 8,000 visitors to see the bronze head of Hadrian last year, and we hope that this year’s exhibition will be just as popular.”

The View of an Emperor exhibition was scheduled to coincide with the 13th decennial Hadrian’s Wall Pilgrimage, with pilgrims arriving at the historic Wall’s end last Friday. Collectors and hoarders had their belongings valued at Washington Old Hall yesterday.

People flocked to the National Trust hall hoping to find if they had stumbled across treasure in their attics – or just old junk.